The Beatles' Year Of Living Dangerously

With the death of Brian Epstein in August 1967 the Beatles were transformed from a well-disciplined group of loveable mop-tops to a fractured long-haired collective pursuing four different creative paths. Meanwhile, their psychedelic revolution was heading mainstream in the guise of their animated musical movie, Yellow Submarine (reissued in new digital finery next month). As a companion piece to MOJO 224's 19-page Beatles special (on sale now) we submit the video evidence from the year the Fabs went mad.

August 27, 1967

The now-famous footage of The Beatles responding to the news of their manager's death. Watching it again, you see George and John moving in two very different emotional directions.

September 18, 1967

The Beatles ogle the Bonzo Dog Band at Raymond's Revue Bar for the penultimate scene of their Magical Mystery Tour film. Look out for Viv Stanshall's Lindsay Kemp-inspired moves.

October 11, 1967

John and Yoko collaborate in public for the first time. In this fascinating interview from December 12, 1968, Yoko, and then John, discuss their art with Dutch sociologist Abram De Swaan, in the waiting room of Lennon's Knightsbridge dentist. Lennon looks distinctly groggy when he finally appears...

And here's John and Yoko on the David Frost Show on Saturday 24 August 1968, talking about the You Are Here art exhibition, from July 1968:

November 18, 1967

George Harrison works on the Wonderwall soundtrack with the Remo Four. Here is their collaborative track In The First Place, as used in the Wonderwall trailer.

December 11, 1967

Apple Music sign Grapefruit. Here's a nice example of Grapefruit Mk1's mop-top charm.

And here's an equally illustrative example of how, as Grapefruit's John Perry puts it inMOJO 224, Grapefruit Mk2 "ruined ourselves by growing long hair and smoking funny cigarettes"...

January 25, 1968

John, Paul, George and Ringo film their Yellow submarine cameos. Here they are:

And here's a little insight into the chaotic genius that went into the construction of the film:

February 11, 1968

The Beatles film the TV promo for Lady Madonna. Here's how Tony Bramwell's remarkable footage was originally edited.

And here's the restored footage, recut to the original performance, Hey Bulldog...

March 8, 1968

Paul Jones' solo 7-inch And The Sun Will Shine, is released, with Paul McCartney on drums. But, as Jones tells MOJO 224, "The way he played on the B-side, The Dog Presides, Goodness me!" Jeff Beck (on guitar) and Jones's harmonica aren't bad either...

April, 16, 1968

Apple Publicity Limited is formed. Why not let Peter Asher, head of A&R, tell you about it himself?

May 23, 1968

The Beatles are interviewed for Tony Palmer's landmark BBC rock doc, All My Loving. John Lennon acts as go-between. Here's a little snippet of its revolutionary genius:

June 18, 1968

The John Lennon play: In His Own Write, opens at the Old Vic Theatre. Here John Lennon and director Victor Spinetti discuss the production on the BBC arts programme, Release.

July 28, 1968

Fed up with the photos of them in circulation, The Beatles invite war photographer Don McCullin on a Mad Day Out. Here is some ultra rare film footage of the day.